Oil cup



April 21 1942- R. H. wHl'rELEY l 2,280-,462

OIL CUP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan 11, 1940 April 2l 1942- R. .H1 wHlTELEY OIL CUP 2 Sheets-Shee'l:4 2

Filed Jan. ll, 1940 Patented pr. 21', 1942 oIL our Robert H. Whiteley, Oak Park, Ill., assignor to Randall Graphite Products Corporation, Chicago, lll., a corporation of Delaware Application January 11, 1940, Serial No. 313,333

11 Claims. (Cl. 184-65) The present invention relates to oil feeding devices, and is particularly concerned with feeding devices in the form of oil cups of the type having a chamber adapted to be filled with lubricant, and having a discharge conduit.

One of the objects of the invention is the provisionr of an improved lubricating device by means of which the difficulty of air binding in oil cups and conduits `is eliminated.

Another object of the invention is the provisionof an improved lubricating device having a conduit which is provided with means for venting the air bubbles which might otherwise cause the conduit to become air-bound, and for effectively assuring the continuous flow of lubricant through the conduit.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved lubricating device having a conduit which is provided with means for venting the air bubbles andV means which assure the the conduit by providing Lan unstable position for any air bubble which mightl exist at the end of the lubricant conduit.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved oil cup from which the possibility of air binding is eliminated, which is simple in structure, capable of economical manufacture and sale, and adapted to be used for a long period of time without necessity for repair or replacement of anyof its parts.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the two sheets of drawings which accompany the specification:

Fig. 1 is a vertical elevational View in partial section of a bearing of the pillow block type, provided with an oil cup constructed'according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken on the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is -a similar sectional View, taken on the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a plan View of the interior of the oil cup, taken on the plane of the line l4 4 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 2 of a modification;

Fig. 6 isa view similar to Fig. 3 of the modification illustrated in Fig. 5;

2() movement of the air bubbles from the end ofA Fig. 7 is a sectional view, taken on the plane of the line 'I-'I of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the pattern used for making the baflie of Figs. 5 to '7.r

The present oil cup is peculiarly adapted to be used with bearings of the reservoir type when it is equipped with the baiile of the specific construction shown, which projects from the lower end of the oil conduit.

In some other embodiments of the invention the baffle might be made shorter so that it will not project from the oil conduit and thus be used where there is no room-for a projecting point.

Referring to Fig. 1, III indicates in its entirety the assembly, including an oil cup II and a pillow block bearing I2. 'I'he pillow blockbearing is of the type having a pair of complementary supporting members I3, pair of attaching flanges I5 provided with apertures I6. 'I'he two supporting members I3, I4 have through bores for passing a pair of bolts I'I, which may clamp them together, and these two supporting members are provided with in'- ternal partially spherical surfaces I8 for receiving a ball shaped reservoir member I9. The partially spherical surfaces I8 may be in the form of a pair of parallel spherically surfaced tracks engaging complementary parts ofthe Vball I9, as shown in my prior application, Serial No. 183,021, I filed January 3, 1938, Fig. 12, which is hereby incorporated by reference thereto; that is, the ball I9 is supported for a limited universal movement.

The ball I9 comprises a member having partially spherical surfaces. located to engage the surfaces I8 in the supporting members I3 and I4,v and it preferably has a pair of inwardly extending iianges 20, which engage a cylindrical bearing member 2 I, having an inner cylindrical bearing surface 22 for engaging theshaft 23.

The bearing member 2|V andthe ball I9 together form a reservoir 24, which has a threaded filling aperture 25, and the bearing 2| is provided with a plurality of apertures which are filled with baked porous compound in the form of plugs 26, which conduct lubricant from the reservoir 24 to the bearing surface 22.

When the supporting members I3, I4 are assembled, they have through bores 2'I at eachend for passing the ends of the bearing 2| andthe shaft 23. The oil cup II may be of any conventional construction in so far as its oil chamber 28 and oil conduit 29 are concerned.

In the embodiment selected to illustrate the I4, one of which has a invention, the oil conduit consists of a metal tube, open at both ends, and having its lower end threaded at 30, with pipe threads to be received in the threaded bore of the reservoir 24.

The threaded end 39 of the conduit 29 preferably does not project into the space of the reservoir 24, but terminates in the bore 25. Where the threaded end projects into the reservoir 24, there is a tendency toiorm an air trap around the end of the pipe 29 in the reservoir 24.

The conduit 29 has a non-circular portion 3|,

which is usually hexagonal, and it is formed with a reduced cylindricalportion 32 and an annularl 34 ofthe oil chamber 28. The oil chamber 28 may consist of a cylindrical metal member having the cylindrical side walls 35 and the flat end wallv 34, which are joined by the rounded lower corner 35. The end wall 34 has a centrally located bore 31 for receiving the reduced cylindrical portion 32 of the oil conduit 29. The oil conduit 29 may be spun over at 38. so thatthe end wall 34 of the oil chamber 28 is clamped between the partsA 33 and 38.

The oil chamber 28 is preferably provided with a cover 39, which may be of a stamped metallic member of generally circular shape, having a radially projecting ange that is used to support the pintle anges 4l depending from flange 40 at one side of the oil chamber or housing 28.

The cover 39 is also preferably provided with a depending border flange 42, which is slightly spaced from the outside wall 35 of the housing 28, ancla gasket 43 may be secured to the under side of the cover inside the flange 42 by means of suitable adhesive.

The gasket 43 may consist of any suitable materal adapted to resist deterioration by oil or other lubricants, such as, for example, a felt gasket. The depending pintle flanges 4| have apertures for receiving the pin orpintle 44, and the pintle flanges 4l are adapted to engage outsidea pair of pintle flanges 45 that extend radially outward, and are carried by the body 45 of a pintle bracket 41.

The pintle or pin 44 extends through the four ilanges of 4I, 45, and is riveted over at both ends, or provided with a head at one end and riveted over at the other. 'I'he'cover may -beurged to closed position by a helical coil spring 48, which is coiled about the pintle 44, and has one end 49 extending tangentially downward to engage the side of the oil cup or the bracket 41.

The other end of the coil spring extends tangentially from the coil, as at 49, and is provided with a bent portion at its extreme endv for engaging in a slot 5i in the edge of the cover 39. The spring is tensoned between the cover and the housing so that it urges the cover in a counter-clockwise direction in Fig. 3, and tends to keep the cover closed.

The pintle bracket 41' may be secured to the wall of the housing 28 by soldering, brazing, welding, or any convenient fastening means. The complete assembly is preferably galvanized overall, before it is assembled, to eliminate any possibility of corrosion.

The oil conduit 29 has a substantially cylindrical passageway 52, which extends from the oil chamber 28 to the reservoir 24. This conduit is provided with a baie 53, which may consist of a thin sheet metal member of sufficient width, as shown in Fig. 3, to traverse the diameter of the cylindrical passageway 52, v The baille 53 thus forms a partition, dividing the conduit 52 Y the stock the more room is left in the passageshoulder 33, which engages the lower or end wall way 52. The baiile 53 preferably extends beyond the lower end 56 of the passageway 52 into the reservoir 24, where it is provided with a pair of diagonal edges 51, joining at the point 5B.

The purpose of extending into the chamber or reservoir 24 is to assure the elimination of bubbles from the reservoir 24, as well as to prevent air binding in the conduit 29. In some embodiments'of the invention, where the oil cups are used Without a discharge into a reservoir, the pointed end 58 may terminate inside they conduit 29. f

Referring to Figs. 5 to '1, these figures show a modification, in which a baffle 59 is provided for dividing the passageway 52 into three separate passages 60, 6|, 62, as distinguished from the two passages 63, 64 of Fig. 4. y

The baffle 59 may be made according to the pattern shown in Fig. 8, having an elongated body 65, which is approximately twice as wide as the diameter of the passage 52. I

The body 59 may be divided into two parts, each of which is provided withY a point 58 formed by the diagonal edges 51. In this embodiment also the baille is preferably provided with the laterally extending flanges 54. The body 6-5 may be folded together along the line 66., and again the flanges may be folded outward at the point 61, whichA is adjacent the vcenter of the passageway 52, and on the line of the points 58. Thus the baille will be provided with three vradially projecting portions for engaging the Walls of the passageway 52, and dividing thev passageway 52 into the three passageways 60 to 62, asshown in Fig. 1., j

The operation of my lubricating devices may be described as follows: Any air which is present in the oil in the form of-bubbles of air, which is entrapped in the oil cup H, will ordinarily find its way to the top ofthe oil cup due` to the lightness of the air bubbles, asv contrasted with the specific weight of the lubricant-but if any air bubbles are entrai-ned by the lubricant into the passageway 52, or if any air is entrapped in the passageway 52 at the beginning of the use of the oil cup, there is aV tendency for the air to come upone of the passageways, 63 for example, while the lubricant passes Vdown the other. V

In the same way any air which is present in the reservoir 24 may pass up one of the pas- 'sageways while lubricant comes down the other by gravity. The discharge pipe 429- from the` oil cup enters the reservoir at the top, where'the air bubbles naturally gather, and/thus the'air at the top of the reservoir will tendY to pass out of the conduit 2,9, fif there is a free passageway. This free passagewayI is assuredbyf meanslof the baflle 53 or 59; andy it is 'found that the present structure wholly eliminates any possibility of ,air binding of the oil cup` or reservoir.

It is found that theroil isfed under all. conditions, even when there areeonsiderable'air l(2,280,462 bubbles entrained inv the oil, and my theory lof this actionis as follows: Itis inevitable, when there are air bubblesin the oil, that thelweight of the lubricant oneach side of the partition `533 shall be different, on account of the different random sizes of air bubbles. Thus,rthe side having the greater proportion of air bubbles will tend to move 11p-Ward, and the other side, having the greater proportion of oil, will tend to move downward.

The existence of a point 58 at the end of the baille is believed to make the device still more effective, because the point extends'downward, and theV tendency for air bubbles is to pass upward. Thus, at the end of the baille there is a position at which any bubble would be in an unstable position, and would tendA to go to one side or the other of the baille. The embodiment having a plurality of -radial partitions and passageways is peculiarly adapted to be used with the more liquid lubricants, or to be used in oil cups having larger conduits in relation to the viscosity o f the lubricant.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not Wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

Havingthus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A baille for oil cup conduits comprising a thin strip of material adapted to extend across an oil conduit to separate it into two parts, one of which passes air in one direction, and the Aother of which passes lubricant in the opposite direction, said baille having at its lower end a point forming an unstable position for air bubbles in the conduit at that point, and said baille having at its upper end a shoulder for engaging part of an oil conduit to retain it in predetermined position.

2.. In a lubricating device, an oil cup free from air binding, comprising a reservoir member carried by a conduit, said conduit extending from a lower portion of said reservoir, and a partition extending from said oil cup in said conduit, cornprising a thin sheet metal member extending across from one side of said conduit to the other, and engaging the walls thereof, said partition serving to divide the oil cup conduit into two parts, one of which passes air in one direction, and the other of which passes lubricant in the opposite direction.

3. In a lubricating device, an oil cup free from air binding, comprising a reservoir member carried by a conduit, said conduit extending from a lower portion of said reservoir, and a partition extending from said oil cup in said conduit, comprising a thin sheet metal member extending across from one side of said conduit to the other, and engaging the walls thereof, said partition serving to divide the oil cup conduit into two parts, one of which passes air in one direction, and the other of which passes lubricant in the opposite direction, said conduit being substantially cylindrical, and said partition being located diametrically across the middle of said conduit.

4. In a lubricating device, an oil cup free from air binding, comprising a reservoir member carried by a conduit, said conduit extendingfrom a lower portion of said reservoir, and a partition extending from said oil cup in said conduit, com- Cil 4 -3 prising a thin 4sheet metal member extending across from one side ofsaid conduit to theother, and engaging the walls" thereof, said partition serving to divide vtheoil cup conduitV 'into two parts, one of which 'passes Vair in one direction, and the other of which passes lubricant inthe opposite direction, said partition extending ,above the point of entry of said conduit in said oil cup, and having a laterally extending shoulder for engaging a part carried by the interio-r of said oil cup. f L

5. In a lubricating device, an oil cupfree from air binding, comprising a reservoir member 'carried by a conduit, said conduit extending-iron; a lower portion of said reservoir, anda partition extending from said oil cup in said conduit, comprising a thin sheet metal member extending across from one side of said conduit tothe other, and engagingl the walls thereof, said partition serving to divide the oil cup conduit intov two parts, one o-f which passes air in one direction, and the other of whichpasses lubricant in the opposite direction, said V-partition extending beyond the end of said discharge conduit and being formed with a point adapted to form an unstable position for air bubbles lat the entrance to said conduit whereby the bubbles Will pass up one side or the other of the partition.

6. In aflubricating device, an oil cup free from air binding, comprising a reservoir member having an opening into a conduit, `said conduit conducting lubricant from said reservoir by gravity, and a partition comprising a member extending transversely across said conduit from a point in said reservoir beyond the end of said conduit, whereby the lubricant is adapted to pass down one side of said partition and the air bubbles are adapted to pass up the other side of said partition to eiect a free flow of lubricant through said conduit without air binding.

7. In a lubricating device, an oil cup free from air binding, comprising a reservoir and a conduit extending from said reservoir for the flow of lubricant by gravity and a partition member adapted to be inserted in said conduit and secured therein, said partition. member being formed with three radially extending parts forming three chambers in said conduit, and said partition extending from a point inside said reservoir to a point beyond theend of said conduit whereby the lubricant may pass down predetermined of said conduit vchambers and the air bubbles may pass up other of said conduit chambers.

8. In a lubricating device, an oil cup free from air binding, comprising a reservoir and a conduit extending from said reservoir for the flow of lu# bricant by gravity and a partition member adapted to be inserted in said conduit and secured therein, said partition member being formed with three radially extending parts forming three chambers in said conduit, and said partition extending from a point inside said reservoir to a point beyond the end of said conduit whereby the lubricant may pass down predetermined of said conduit chambers and the air bubbles may pass up other of said conduit chambers, said partition member comprising a piece of sheet material folded back upon itself to form one of said radially extending parts, the two anges of said folded part diverging to form the other two radially extending parts.

9. In a lubricating device, an oil cup free from air binding, comprising a reservoir and a conduit extending from said reservoir for the flow of lubricant by gravity and a partition member adapted to be inserted in said conduit and secured therein, said partition member being formed with three radially extending parts forming three chambers in said conduit, and said partition extending from a point inside said reservoir to a point beyond the end of said conduit whereby the lubricant may pass down predetermined of said conduit chambers and the air bubbles may pass up other of said conduit chambers, said partition member being formed .on its lower end with a point adapted to provide an unstable position for bubbles in the lubricant, whereby the bubbles will be forced up one or the other sides of the partition parts.

10. In a lubricating device, an oil cup free from air binding, comprising a reservoir and a conduit extending from vsaidreservoir for the ow of lubricant by gravity and a partition member adapted to be inserted in said conduit and secured therein, said partition member being formed with three radially extending parts forming three chambers in said conduit, and said partition extending from a point inside said reservoir to a point beyond the end of said conduit whereby the lubricant may pass down predetermined of said conduit chambers and the air bubbles may pass up other of said conduit chambers, said partition member having laterally projecting flanges on its upper part in said res.

ervoir, and providing shoulders engaging inside said reservoir to determine the position of said partition.

1l.y In a lubricating device, an oil cup free from air binding, comprising a reservoir and a conduit extending from said reservoir for the iiow of lubricant by gravity and a partition member adapted to be `inserted in said conduit and secured therein, said partition member being formed with three radially extending parts forming three chambers in said conduit, and said partition extending from a point inside said reservoir to a point. beyond the end of said conduit whereby the lubricant may pass down predetermined of said conduit chambers and the air bubblesv maypass up other of said conduit chambers, said partition member comprising a piece of sheet material folded back upon itself to form one of Y said radially extending parts, the two flanges of said folded part diverging to form the other two radially extending parts, said partition member being formed onr its lower end with a point adapted to provide an unstable position for bubbles in the lubricant, whereby the bubbles will be forced up one or the .other sides of the partition parts, and said partition member having laterally projecting flanges on its upper part in said reservoir and providing shoulders engaging inside said reservoir to determine the position of said partition.

ROBERT H. WHITELEY. 

